I thought it might be interesting to show my very first sketch of 'The Backs' painting. The idea had been whizzing around my head for some time and when a friend asked what would be my next painting I did this doodle on a napkin.

Yes it does sound cliched but that is exactly what happened.

I kind of build my paintings so I divided it into sections and added the background colours. I played with how the grass on the Backs would look and decided to make it patchwork so I painted green squares of three different sizes to show the perspective.

Next I painted King's College, loved doing that. Then it was hours and hours of tiny detailed painting for the flowers in the grass, followed by the punters, the tree and after a very long time of almost a year - I painted the blackberries. Then I sat and looked at it. After another few months I added the seated girl and smartened the whole painting up.

When Byard Art asked me to paint 5 large paintings I knew this would be one of them but I waited another 5 months before I could add the varnish.

I found the original scribble not long ago and was actually amazed at how closely I had followed my original idea because normally I go off in all sorts of directions.

I do have favourite paintings and this is one of them.